New Delhi: The common man is likely to bear the consequences of the Supreme Court’s verdict on the country’s biggest 2G spectrum allocation scam leading to cancellation of 122 licences.

According to the experts, with the prospects of fresh auctions on the cards following the Apex Court’s verdict of cancellation of 2G spectrum licences that were allotted in 2008, huge chances of high price of spectrums prevails.

In such a condition, the sources from the government and telecom sector are not in position of denial in hikes in call rates.

When asked about the prospects of hike in tariffs, Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said, “The hike in call rates totally depend upon dynamics of the market.”

Echoing the similar line, Telecom Secretary R Chandra Shekhar said, “Uncertainty will prevail over the increase in call charges unless the process of spectrum allocation is not completed,” adding, “This is neither in favour of the telecom companies nor the costumers”.

Dismissing reports of impact on customers, Telecom regulator TRAI said that the Supreme Court judgement will not have major impact on the telecom users.

"Customers will not be impacted from the cancellation of licences as around 95 percent market share is of those who got licences before January 2008," Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman J S Sharma said following the SC ruling.

He further said that the subscribers will have the facility of selecting their preferred company through mobile number portability.

On the prospects of tariff hike due to expected high price of spectrum, he said that TRAI will keep a watch on the situation.

Even if the government or the telecom regulator downplays impact on the telecom customers but the experts are raising serious concerns over the sheer uncertainty in the telecom market. JPN/Bureau